'Amazing Spider-Man' to Release in India Ahead of U.S. Opening

Sony's summer tentpole – which also stars Indian actor Irrfan Khan – will open in India in late June, ahead of its July U.S. release date.

NEW DELHI - Sony Pictures India announced Monday that it will advance the India release of Amazing Spider-Man to 29 June, ahead of the film's July 3 U.S. opening.

The Marc Webb-directed summer tentpole also stars acclaimed Indian actor Irrfan Khan (Slumdog Millionaire) as Dr. Ratha, a close associate of Dr. Curt Connors aka The Lizard played by Rhys Ifans. As with most major Hollywood releases here, Spider-Man will also be dubbed in various regional languages.

“Each of the Spider-Man franchise films has broken records on its release in this territory. We are very confident that Indian audiences will enjoy the new reboot of the franchise even more because they are watching it before the U.S. and also, as this film has an India connect,” said Sony Pictures India MD Kercy Daruwala. In 2007, Spider-Man 3 grossed Rupees 680 million ($13.6 million), which at the time, made it the highest grossing Hollywood film here according to Sony Pictures India, until that record was broken by Avatar which grossed over $22 million in 2009.

Sony's summer lineup kicks off with the May 25 worldwide opening of Men In Black 3 followed by Amazing Spider-Man leading up to the August 3 worldwide release of the Total Recall reboot starring Colin Farrell, Kate Beckinsale and Jessica Biel.

Sony's other big release of the year, the 23rd instalment of the James Bond franchise, Skyfall, will open in India on Nov. 2, a week ahead of its U.S. release date. The previous James Bond outing, Quantum of Solace, also opened in India a week ahead of its U.S. release date in November 2008.

“Our lineup of strong franchise films with mass appeal and already established high brand recall are ideal for unique and exciting co-promotional activities with like-minded brands, both local and international,” said Sony Pictures India, director – marketing, Divya Pathak. “Many brands are choosing to partner with our blockbusters because of the incomparable scale of these movies.”

“After completing 75 years as a studio in India, 31 of which I have personally been a part of, I can say without a doubt that this is our biggest and most exciting lineup ever with tried and tested record-breaking performance at the Indian box office,” added Daruwala. “On the whole, we have an ideal mix of the biggest blockbuster action movies as well as comedy, drama and family films with an arsenal of great directors and top rung stars.”